A Perfect Match II — Tick Tock
by Savannah Singleton
Summary: New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan's whirlwind romance with romance novelist Nicole Richardson had its share of rocky times, including interference at times from Frank's family. Will things go smoother for them as husband and wife? Will they be able to adjust to the changes in their lives as a married couple, or will there be trouble ahead for these two?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N — I started writing this story a while back after watching an episode involving Erin, wanting to do something similar involving Nicole, knowing at the time the story could only be published if/when Nicole and Frank were married. Since then, I have seen a very similar episode on Criminal Minds. I have edited the story to follow** ** _The Evils of Stress._** **Some scenes will be familiar to scenes from both shows. The entire short story will take place in Frank's office at 1 PP, with the exception of final scenes in the last chapter. The story is written, so updates will be daily.**

One month after Commissioner Frank Reagan's false heart attack scare and trip to Emergency in an ambulance, he sat at his desk at 1 Police Plaza going through a stack of papers Garrett had left with him earlier in the morning, reports in need of his signature. He had followed up with his personal doctor as the ER doctor had recommended. After running a complete set of tests, his doctor confirmed the Accelerated Hypertension diagnosis. Since then Frank had been following all the doctor's orders, including taking his medication as prescribed, and all was well.

When his phone rang this morning, he checked it for caller ID, then answered.

"What can I do this morning for my favorite daughter? Is this business or pleasure?"

"Morning, Dad. Pleasure, I guess. I'm trying to locate your wife. Do you know where Nicole is this morning?"

"No, Erin, not at this moment. Did you try calling her phone?"

"Yes, Dad, of course I did. She didn't answer."

"She's probably out jogging. She rarely answers the phone when she's out for a run, no matter how much I fuss at her about it."

"Yeah, well, Nicole has a mind of her own, doesn't she, Dad."

"That she does, Erin. Just leave her a message. She'll return your call."

"That's what is so weird, Dad. It didn't go to voice mail. It just gives a message that it's out of service."

"Did you try calling the house?"

"I did. No one answered."

"She probably has Pop down in the basement, trying to locate more Christmas decorations."

"She already has the whole house decorated!"

"I know. She has gotten carried away. She probably found one spot somewhere vacant."

"Oh, well. Let her have fun, Dad. I'm sure this is the first Christmas she's had any family to celebrate with since Daniel."

"This is true. I wouldn't consider trying to stop her, not that it would do any good if I did. She and Pop are both having a blast. So, did you need her for any specific reason?"

"I was supposed to meet her later this afternoon for a drink, but something has come up, and I'm not going to make it."

"Well, if I hear from her, I will pass on that information."

"Thanks, Dad. Talk to you later. Love you."

"Love you, too, Erin."

Frank disconnected the call, then tried calling Nicole, only to receive the same message as Erin. He rubbed his hand over his mouth. He had a meeting with the mayor in less than five minutes. He didn't have time to track down his wife. Assuring himself she was in the basement with Pop, but still finding it strange the phone didn't go to voicemail, he turned his attention back to the papers on his desk, until he was interrupted moments later by a knock on his office door.

"Enter."

When the door opened, his personal assistant, Detective Abigail Baker appeared.

"The mayor is here, sir."

"Send him in."

"Mr. Mayor, good to see you, sir," he said as the mayor entered, extending him his hand.

"Good to see you, too, Frank," Mayor Deets replied as the two shook hands. "How are you feeling these days?"

Frank scrunched his face in a big smile. "Never better, sir."

"Good to hear."

Before she had a chance to close the door behind her, Frank stopped Detective Baker.

"Yes, sir?"

"See if you can locate Nicole for me."

"Yes, sir. Right away. Should I let you know if I do?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Just give her a message, that Erin needs to cancel their afternoon plans."

"Yes, sir."

When the door closed, Mayor Deets asked, "The new missus got you handling her social calendar, Frank?"

"No. Just passing on a message. Have a seat, sir."

"So, how's married life treating you?"

"Married life is great, as you should know yourself, having been married... how many years now?"

"Too many to remember, but don't tell my wife I said that."

"I wouldn't dream of it. How is Sylvia?"

"She's fine. Has her nose in a book most of the time. I think we should get a discount for as many Cassandra Carrington novels as she's read."

"I'm sure Nicole would be pleased to offer her a free signed copy of the next one when it comes out next week."

"I'll hold you to that, Frank. Would make the perfect Christmas gift."

"Consider it done. Coffee?"

"No, thanks."

"Fine. Then let's get down to business." Tossing a file on the desk in front of the mayor, Frank continued, "You know I can't approve this."

"I was afraid you'd say that, Frank."

Since Antonio Rosseni had defeated Mayor Deets in the November election, the mayor seemed determined to use his last two months in office to make things difficult for Frank. Frank had no problem with the mayor taking his loss out on him personally, but he would not allow the man to take it out on his 35,000 officers, and their ability to do their job effectively.

About fifteen minutes later, Baker knocked on the door again.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to interrupt, sir, but two of Nicole's detail are here to see you."

"Can't it wait? The mayor and I are kinda busy here at the moment."

"Actually, sir, I don't think it can."

Mayor Deets spoke up. "I don't think we're going to accomplish anything here today, Frank. Why don't we continue this another day, after we've both slept on it?"

"I think that's a good idea, Mayor. Not that a night's sleep will alter my opinion."

"Well, perhaps we can figure out a compromise."

"A compromise is always good, as long as my men don't suffer for it. I'll be in touch to set up a new meeting. In the meantime, say hello to Sylvia for me."

After the mayor left, Frank said, "Send them in, Baker."

"Yes, sir."

When the two suited men entered, the expressions on both their faces told Frank this was not a pleasure call.

"What can I do for you, Gentlemen? I thought you two worked morning shift. Shouldn't you be guarding my wife right now?"

"That's why we're here, sir."

Recalling his conversation with Erin, and his own attempt to call Nicole, Frank was suddenly overwhelmed with concern.

"What is going on? Where is Nicole?"

"We don't know, sir."

"You don't know!" Frank yelled. "What the hell does that mean?"

"We lost her, sir."

"You WHAT!"

At that moment, Garrett came in. "What's going on in here? I can hear you in the hall. Remember your blood pressure, Frank."

"The hell with that! These two seem to have lost my wife!"

"What do you mean, lost your wife? How did that happen?"

"Well, I was about to ask that myself, Garrett, before you came barging in interrupting me!" Turning back to Nicole's morning detail, Frank said, "Let's hear it, Ben. Thomas."

"She was shopping in the village. She was headed into Francesca's. She said she would be in that shop for a while, and that there was no need for us to go in with her, that we could wait at the coffee shop across the street. So we did. We sat on the patio next to the street so we could watch for her to come out, and keep an eye on who went in. We sat for about forty-five minutes. She never came out. We called her phone. She didn't answer. We went in to check, she was nowhere in the shop. The owner said she had made her purchases and left ten minutes earlier."

Frank recognized Francesca's as Nicole's favorite lingerie shop, and he knew it would be just like her to not make the men wait either inside or outside the shop while she shopped for personal items to please him. But it did not excuse them for not keeping better track of her.

"Perhaps you just missed her when she left. Did you check other shops as well?"

"We did, sir. Every shop on the block. She was nowhere to be found, no one saw her come in any of them."

"So she just disappeared? Vanished in midair?"

"Seems so, sir."

"Except she didn't! What the hell are you even doing in my office? Get the hell out there and find Nicole! Get Lt. Gormley to give you some men if you need them. Just find my wife! And don't come back until you do!"

"Yes, sir!" both men replied.

As they were headed out the door, Frank stopped them. "One more thing, Gentlemen. Once you find Nicole, pack your things. You'll both be fired! Now get out of my sight."

"Calm down, Frank," Garrett insisted.

"Calm down, hell! They lost Nicole!"

"I know that, Frank. I was standing right here. I heard every word. I'm sure she's fine. She's probably enjoying a Cappuccino somewhere. Why don't you try calling her yourself?"

"I have tried calling her! Her phone isn't working. Did you have any luck, Baker?"

'"No, sir."

"Then track her phone."

"I'm working on that now, sir."

"Then get back to it!"

"Right away, sir."

"That will be all."

When Garrett remained after Baker left, Frank said, "That was meant for you, too, Garrett. Why are you still here?"

"Just making sure you're okay, Frank?"

"I'm not the one you should be worrying about. I'm not the one missing."

"I'm sure she's fine, Frank. You know how she feels about having a detail follow her everywhere. She hates it."

"I know that. So what's your point, Garrett?"

"My point is, she probably just ditched them somehow. And she's not going to be happy that you fired Ben and Thomas. She likes them. And you know how they feel about her. They adore her."

"It doesn't matter what, or who, Nicole likes or doesn't like. It's what she needs. She is the wife of the Police Commissioner of New York City, and because of that, she needs her own protection when she's away from home without me. She knew what she was getting into when she married me. We discussed it. She agreed to it. And as far as Ben and Thomas, they are paid to do what I order them to do, not what Nicole tells them to do. They were ordered to protect my wife, and they lost her. That is inexcusable, and you know it as well as I do."

"I'm just saying, Nicole isn't going to like it, Frank."

"I'm sure she won't. But right now, we need to find her, don't we, Garrett. Now go see how Baker is coming along with that tracking."

After Garrett left the office, Frank sat at his desk, tried calling Nicole once more, still getting the same message.

"What the hell, Nicole? Where are you?" he said under his breath as he removed his glasses, rubbing his fingers between his eyes. "Where are you?"

A few minutes later Garrett and Baker returned. Lt. Gormley was with them.

"Baker, did you locate Nicole or her phone?"

"I'm afraid not, sir."

"Then why are two back in here? And why are you here, Lieutenant?"

The three of them exchanged looks. Their solemn expressions shouted out like red flares in the sky. Something was seriously wrong. Nicole was in trouble.

"So let's hear it. What do you know?"

"This was just brought in, sir. One of the officers dispatched to help search for Nicole in the village found it in the street along the curb in front of Francesca's," Lt. Gormley replied.

Frank stood. "What is it?"

He reached to take the item from Gormley. He knew immediately what it was. He recognized the pink case. It was Nicole's cell phone. The shattered glass front, the dirty, flattened shape of the phone made him sick to his stomach. He sat back in his chair as he stared at it.

"Frank, are you okay?" Garrett asked.

"I'm okay. But obviously my wife isn't. Talk to me. Tell me what you know. What has happened to Nicole?"


	2. Chapter 2

Frank sat at his desk staring at Nicole's crushed cell phone, deliberating in his mind whether to alert the family of her disappearance. He didn't want to worry them prematurely, trying to convince himself she had just simply dropped it unknowingly, and Ben and Thomas simply missed her when she came out of Francesca's. It had been over two hours since she had last been seen leaving that shop; his gut told him his wife was not simply still shopping.

He had already called both Sybil Rosseni and Kerri Lane, only mentioning that Nicole's phone seemed to be out of order and he couldn't reach her; neither had heard from her. He decided to call Pop, needing to know that he, at least, was home safe.

"Hey, Pop, how's it going?"

"Fine, Francis, what's up?"

"Nothing, just checking in. Anything going on this afternoon?"

"No. Nicole's out shopping and I've been down in the basement sorting through some things. You know we have way too much stuff down there."

"I know, Pop. Mostly memories, the kids' old stuff. We'll sort through it all some day. You just be careful down there by yourself."

"I always am, son. You sure everything's okay?"

"I'm sure, Pop. Talk to you later."

As soon as he disconnected the call, Baker knocked on his door.

"I brought you a sandwich from the deli, sir, knowing you haven't had any lunch."

"Thank you, Baker. That was very thoughtful of you. Just leave it on the table there. I'll get to it in a bit."

"You really need to eat, sir."

"I don't have much of an appetite at the moment."

"Understandable, sir."

Garrett entered with an older gentleman carrying a small black bag.

"Frank, this is Dr.—"

"I know who he is, Garrett." Frank stood, walked around his desk, offered his hand to the gentleman. "Good to see you, Dr. Michaels, what can I do for you?"

"Dr. Michaels works for the department—," Garrett began.

"I know that, Garrett. Why is he here?"

"To monitor you, Frank."

Frank frowned as he sighed. "I don't need monitoring. I'm fine."

"Frank, your wife is missing. You can't tell me you're fine. Just let Dr. Michaels check your blood pressure. It'll only take a minute. Do it for Nicole."

"Fine." Frank removed his jacket, hung it on the back of his chair. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he offered his arm to the doctor, who had pulled a blood pressure cuff from his bag.

The room was silent until the doctor finished and removed the cuff from Frank's arm.

"So?" Frank asked.

"It's a little high, Frank, but stable."

"What'd I tell you?"

"Sorry to intrude," Lt. Gormley said from the open door. A uniformed officer stood beside him. "Everything all right, Frank?"

"You tell me. Have you located Nicole?"

"Not exactly, sir, but sort of," Gormley replied nervously.

"What does that even mean, Lieutenant? Either you found her or you didn't. Which is it?"

"Officer O'Reilly here checked the surveillance cameras on that street."

"And?"

Fidgeting, Lt. Gormley replied, "I'm glad to see Dr. Michaels here. You're not going to like what he found, sir. You might want to sit."

"I don't need to sit. What did you find, Officer?"

The officer pulled a flash drive from his pocket. Pointing to the computer on Frank's desk he asked, "May I, sir?"

"Please," Frank said, motioning for the officer to help himself.

The officer inserted the flash drive. The others watched as a florist delivery van appeared on the screen.

"What are we watching, Officer?" Frank asked.

"This is the street in front of Francesca's. This van pulls up and parks, these two men get out, open the side door, and then just stand around for a few minutes, as if they are waiting for something, or someone."

The two men on the screen were dressed in all white, both wearing ball caps pulled down low on their foreheads.

Nicole appeared on the screen, coming out of the shop, shopping bags on her arm, her attention focused on the cell phone in her hand. She appeared to be typing with the other, as if texting.

The two men in white immediately grabbed her, tossed her in the van, climbed inside with her, sliding the door closed as the van pulled away from the curve and drove off.

His eyes glued to the screen, Frank sat in his chair, his hand on his mouth. "She didn't stand a chance," he muttered to himself.

"No, sir, she didn't," the officer replied. "We watched the van until it disappeared into an alley. And then we lost it." He ran the video back, hit play, then immediately paused it. "Right there is where she drops her phone. The van runs over it as it leaves."

"And all this takes place while her detail sit across the street having coffee," Frank said.

"There's no way they would have had any idea. It all happened so fast, Frank."

"Why didn't they see her phone when they finally decided to look for her?"

"There's continuous traffic, Frank, taxis stopping to drop people off, it was probably under one of them at the time. It would have been easy for them to miss," Lt. Gormley offered in explanation.

"What do we know about this florist shop, this van?"

"The florist shop is local. And it reported their delivery van missing first thing this morning."

"So find out what you can about them. Their employees."

"We're on that now, Frank. But it's a very small shop, just opened. This was their only delivery van. It's just a husband and wife, and their son who makes the deliveries."

"Where did the van come from? How did they know Nicole was in that shop? And when she was leaving it?"

"They had to have someone watching her. Someone inside the shop, who knew when she was leaving."

"My partner was in the shop when I left, checking out their surveillance camera feed, sir."

"Good. Let me know what he finds."

"Yes, sir."

"Excuse me? May I come in?"

Everyone in the room looked up to see another uniformed officer standing just inside the door.

"This is my partner, sir, Officer Vegas," Officer O'Reilly said. "Did you find something, Vegas?"

"I think so."

"Come in, Officer. What do you have?" Frank said.

He handed a flash drive to O'Reilly,who inserted it in place of his own.

The inside of the lingerie shop appeared on the screen, as well as Nicole and several other customers.

"Watch this dark haired woman in the cap right here." Vegas pointed to a woman on the screen. "She appears to be shopping, but she also seems to be keeping an eye on Mrs. Reagan as she makes her way around the shop." He fast forwards the video, then hits play. "The woman continues to shop as Mrs. Reagan gets in line to check out. Now watch right here. As soon as Mrs. Reagan moves up to next in line, the woman pulls out her phone, appears to send a text."

"To the guys in the van," Frank stated.

"Most likely, sir. If you keep watching the feed, the woman stays in the shop after your wife leaves. A few minutes later she asks the clerk if she can use their restroom. They tell her she can use the employee's restroom in the back. She disappears and never comes out. Most likely she went out the back door into the alley. The clerks were so busy they didn't notice she never returned. And the alarm for the back door wasn't set. They didn't recognize the woman, didn't recall her ever coming into the store before."

"So, we have nothing on her. No way to track her."

"No, sir."

"So, we have two men in caps who clearly made a point to keep their heads down while they waited for my wife to come out of a shop, and a woman, also wearing a cap, who just disappears from the shop. In other words, we have nothing."

"Nothing but the van, sir. We have an APB out on it, but..."

"But we'll find it ditched somewhere." Frank finished his sentence for him.

"Most likely."

"The question is, Frank, why did they go after Nicole? What do they want her for?" Garrett asked.

"Whatever it it, I'm sure they weren't taking her to afternoon tea. My wife is in trouble, Gentlemen. Get out there and find her."

"Yes, sir."

XXXXX

Thirty minutes later, Frank stood, staring out his office window overlooking the city. It was a huge city, and his wife was out there somewhere, abducted by two men and a driver. He had never felt more helpless; the thought of what might be happening to her at that very moment, how frightened she must be, ate at his insides. He had 35,000 officers at his command, but he had no leads, no idea where to send them looking.

He turned when his office door opened. The knots in his stomach twisted even tighter when Lt. Gormley, Garrett, Baker, and Dr. Michaels entered. Their solemn expressions signaled more trouble.

"Tell me what you got," he demanded.

Lt. Gormley held up a video tape. "This arrived by special messenger several minutes ago."

"Let's see it."

Lt. Gormley made no move.

"I said, let's see it!"

"Frank, I really think you need to sit," Garrett said.

"I don't need to sit! I just need you to play the damn tape! Start it, Gormley."

Frank stood in front of his desk, his back to it, as he waited for the video to begin.

"Dear God!" he gasped, as the image of Nicole appeared on the large screen. He felt his legs go weak. He turned, reaching with both hands for his desk to steady himself.

"Frank! Are you okay?" Garrett rushed to his side.

"I'm okay!" Frank yelled. "Just give me a second," he said, his voice quiet this time. He continued to hold on to the desk, taking deep breaths.

Detective Baker turned away, not wanting her boss to see the emotion filling her eyes, or to see the image on the screen that had caused the unusual outburst of emotion from him.

Nicole was standing on a small stool, a noose loose around her neck, her hands bound behind her back, her legs bound together at her ankles. Her hair was tangled, her makeup smeared under her eyes. Her clothes were disheveled, her blouse only halfway tucked into her short, tight skirt, her feet bare.

"Get Danny," Frank said, still not turning back to the screen.

"He's already on his way," Lt. Gormley replied.


	3. Chapter 3

As traumatic as it was for him, Frank managed to watch the full video that began with what appeared to be Nicole about to be hung. The video had focused only on her for a few seconds, then two men appeared on the screen. The men appeared to be in their late twenties. They were dressed in all white, no doubt the same men who had grabbed Nicole as she left the lingerie shop earlier in the day.

One of the men spoke. "Commissioner Frank Reagan! Look what we've got! Your beautiful little wife, although she's not so beautiful right now, is she? Sorry about that. She's a feisty one, isn't she. Bet she's a tiger in the bedroom. No wonder you're having heart attacks these days. Too much for you, huh? Want us to tame her for you?"

Frank's fists tightened more and more as the man spoke. It was all he could do to hide his anger from his face, control his rage. He knew every eye in the room was on him.

"Say hi to your husband, Nicole," the man said, and then the camera zoomed in on Nicole's face.

"Frank, I'm so sorry. It's my fault, not theirs. I'm okay. I love you." She spoke quickly, but calmly. The rope tightened around her neck as she spoke the last words. She winced as it did; Frank winced with her.

The camera then moved back to the man who had spoken earlier. "Here's the deal, Frankie. Our dad, Raymond Talbot, an innocent man, is in Sing Sing, where he doesn't belong. We want him out. You get him out, and safe passage across the border, and you get your wife back. You have until ten o'clock tomorrow morning. The clock is ticking, Commissioner."

Then the video went blank.

"Who the hell is Raymond Talbot?"

"Name's familiar, but I'm not placing him at the moment, boss," Lt. Gormley said.

"Well, someone find out! Baker."

"On it, sir."

Frank rubbed his hand over his mouth. "I don't have jurisdiction over the prison. There's no way I can meet that demand! I'm not the damn governor! This is crazy! Where the hell is Danny?"

"He should be here any minute, Frank," Garrett said. "While you're waiting, let Dr. Michaels check your blood pressure."

"I don't need my damn blood pressure checked. I need Danny in here!"

"I'm right here, Dad." Danny entered the room, his eyes roaming from one person to the other.

"They have Nicole, Danny. They sent a video," Frank said.

"I know. I heard. Let's let the doctor check you first, then you can fill me in on the details."

"Why is everyone worried about me when Nicole is the one in trouble!"

"You're not going to do her any good if you end up back in the ER. Just try to calm down, let Dr. Michael's check you," Danny told him.

"Fine. Just hurry up and get it done."

"So?" Frank asked once the doctor had his reading.

"Way too high, Frank."

"Wouldn't yours be if that was your wife in the video?"

"Yes, I'm sure it would be." The doctor reached in his bag, pulled out a package with one pill enclosed. Opening it, he said, "Here, take this."

"What is it?"

"It's Clonidine. It'll help relax you, bring the blood pressure down quickly."

After swallowing the pill, Frank sat on the edge of his desk while Danny watched the video. When it ended, Danny asked Lt. Gormley to play it back, where Nicole spoke.

"What does she mean when she says 'it's not their fault'? Is she talking about the kidnappers?"

"No, she's talking about her detail. She knows I'm going to come down hard on them."

"Which you did," Garrett quietly reminded him.

"Yes, Garrett, I did. With good reason. If they had been outside that shop, instead of across the street, she wouldn't be in this video, would she. But hey, if it'll make you..." Frank paused, took a deep breath, then continued, "if it will make you and Nicole happy, then you can tell them they are still on the payroll. For now. We'll discuss it later, but right now I have something a bit more important to deal with."

"Understood, Frank. I'll pass the word."

Turning his attention back to the video, Frank asked, "Do we know yet who this Talbot guy is?"

"I do, Dad. He's serving a life sentence for murdering his wife a few years ago. In their bedroom. He hung her. He just recently lost an appeal."

"So why Nicole? Why not the governor's wife? I can't possibly meet that demand."

"Maybe they know that. Maybe that's not what this is about."

"What are you saying, Danny?"

"The dad claimed he was innocent, that his wife hanged herself. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial and even after the conviction, but the evidence was clear it was not suicide. All evidence led to him. The jury went with the evidence, found him guilty, and gave him a life sentence for the brutality of it. I put him away. Erin and I put him away. What if this is about getting back at us?"

"Still doesn't make sense. Why grab Nicole, and make a demand on me? Why not go after you? Or Erin? Erin should have been an easier target than Nicole. Why not go after her?"

"What are you saying, Dad? That you would rather they have grabbed Erin instead of Nicole?"

"I'm not saying that at all, Danny. Don't put words in my mouth. I'm just saying Nicole had body guards. Erin doesn't. Nicole shouldn't have been considered an easy target."

"And yet she was. Obviously they've been watching, knew her detail didn't always stay right with her. Think about it. Erin and I took their dad away from them, a dad who insisted he was innocent. What better way to get back at us, then go after our dad, as we had done theirs. Except our dad's the commissioner, not such an easy target, and not really someone you would consider an innocent victim."

"And no one is more innocent in all this than Nicole," Frank said.

"Exactly. Get back at Erin and me by hurting our dad by hurting someone he loves, someone very special to him, someone innocent of any wrongdoing, as they see their dad. I'm telling you, this family all seemed unstable, the bond these guys had with their dad seemed abnormal. They all gave me the creeps."

"Did you ever consider them guilty of killing their mother?"

"It did cross my mind, more than once. But all the evidence led straight to the dad, none to them."

"What do you think they have planned for Nicole, Danny?"

"I don't know, Dad. But I don't think it's anything good. We need to find Nicole before her time runs out."

"How can we be sure she'll still be alive tomorrow morning?"

"We can't."

XXXXX

That evening, Frank stood in his office alone, the only light in the room the lamp on an end table in the sitting area of his office. He had refused when Garrett and Baker insisted he go home. He didn't want to be there without Nicole. He couldn't face all those Christmas decorations she had worked so hard on, the gifts she had already wrapped and put under the tree. He couldn't face any of it knowing that she might not return to enjoy it with him and his family, a family that was now hers as well. He had talked to Erin earlier, asked her to go over and sit with Pop, not wanting him to be alone this evening. He had talked to Jamie earlier as well, who had assured him he would do all he could to help Danny find Nicole. Last Frank had heard, Danny had some leads, but nothing solid. He knew he son would work through the night. All Frank could do was wait. And pray.

As he stared out the window, he thought about how much Nicole loved the city, how she had loved the few times she had been in his office after dark, how she'd talked about how romantic the lights of the city were at night. He remembered one night, shortly after their honeymoon, when he'd been working late for the third night in a row, and she'd shown up, surprising him with dinner, and a bottle of wine. She'd even brought candles. After dinner, and the full bottle of wine, she had suggested he lock the door.

He thought about last night. He and Pop had been sitting in the kitchen, finishing up a glass of milk and cookies that Pop had baked earlier in the day, when Nicole came in looking for him.

"Here you are."

"Just having a little bedtime snack. Pop's cookies are good. You should have one."

"I had two earlier. They are delicious. I will have some milk, though."

She'd picked up Frank's glass, took a sip.

"You can pour your own glass, you know, and join us."

"No, I just wanted a sip. I'm headed up."

"I'll be up shortly," he'd said.

Standing behind his chair, she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Don't be long. I'll be waiting."

When he arrived upstairs a few minutes later, Nicole was sitting up in the bed reading. She was dressed in a pink nightgown, his favorite, mostly for what it didn't cover. He had been overwhelmed with how beautiful she was to him at that moment, even with the new hairstyle. He hadn't been pleased when she surprised him with a much shorter cut. He had preferred her hair longer, but the new style was growing on him. He was pretty sure she'd be just as beautiful if she were bald. He loved her so much. He still had a hard time believing she was his wife, that she loved him just as much.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you, Mrs. Reagan," he said, when he joined her in the bed a few minutes later.

"Yes, but I never tire of it, Commissioner Reagan. Have I told you lately how much I love you, and how much I love being Mrs. Reagan?"

And now, because she was Mrs. Frank Reagan, her life was in danger, and the minutes ticked away, while he could do nothing but stand in his office, staring out his window.


	4. Chapter 4

"Knock knock."

The interruption of the silence in the dimly lit room made Frank jump. He turned to see his daughter standing in the doorway.

"Erin, what are you doing here?"

"I thought you could use some company. And dinner." She held up a large bag. "How you doing, Dad?"

"I've been better."

"I'm sure. Mind if I turn on another lamp or two?"

"Go ahead."

After adding more light to the room, Erin set the bag down on the coffee table in the lounge area of Frank's office, then removed her heavy coat.

Noticing the partially eaten sandwich from lunch, she said, "Looks like you've already had dinner. Sort of."

"That's lunch."

"Doesn't look like you ate much of it."

"I had a few bites."

"I'm assuming that's all you've eaten today. You need to eat, Dad."

"I thought you were with Pop."

"I was. Who do you think packed this dinner and insisted I bring it to you?" she said, holding up a disposable container of warm lasagne from the bag.

"How is Pop?"

"Worried. About Nicole and you."

"Nicole's the one who needs the worries, not me."

"Well, we're worried about you, too, Dad. The stress of all this can't be good for you. Have you checked your blood pressure since all this started?"

"By all this you mean since I found out some lunatics grabbed my wife and videotaped her standing on a stool with a rope around her neck making demands I can't meet? Garrett's had the doctor checking my blood pressure all day, it's under control."

"Good for Garrett. I can't even imagine what you are going through right now, and certainly not Nicole. It must be horribly frightening for her."

"You've had your own scare, Erin."

"Yes, and I was terrified. But Danny saved me, and he will save Nicole as well. You just have to put your faith in that."

"That's the only thing keeping me going."

Noticing the bottle of scotch on the coffee table, Erin said, "I see you still keep a bottle stashed away in here. Does Nicole know you still have it?"

"No. And don't you be telling her either," Frank said, offering a smile.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Something tells me Nicole would be okay with it if she knew. "

"Well, she hasn't cleaned out the liquor cabinet at home, so I think she'd allow this. Besides, the doctor said moderation. And I needed it tonight."

"I understand that. I could use some myself. Got another glass?"

"I do."

About an hour later, Henry showed up at Frank's door.

"Pop, what are you doing here? You should be home. It's late."

"It's too quiet there, Francis, too lonely without her. I've kinda gotten used to having her around."

"Me, too. She does brighten the place up, doesn't she."

"That she does."

Eyeing the bottle of scotch of the table, Henry asked, "Got another glass?"

Frank retrieved a third glass from the cabinet, poured a drink for Henry, then more for Erin and himself. Then he sat on the sofa next to Erin.

"So, now we sit, and wait, and pray. For Nicole. And Danny."

"If anyone can find her, it's Danny," Pop said.

Frank had no doubt his son would find his wife. He just prayed it wasn't too late when he did.

XXXXX

Around two am Frank sat, as Erin and Pop slept, Erin stretched out on the leather sofa, Pop in the matching chair across from Frank, his legs stretched out on the coffee table between them. Frank had tried to sleep himself, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw the vision of Nicole in the video.

"Frank, Danny found them! They're setting up right now, getting ready to go in," Lt. Gormley exclaimed as he came running into the office. "You coming?"

"Try to stop me," Frank said as he stood, grabbed his coat from the corner coat rack.

Erin and Pop both stirred at the first sound of Gormley's voice.

"Dad, good luck. Tell Danny to be careful."

"I will. You and Pop go home, and stay. We'll have someone escort you." Frank hugged her.

As he headed out the door with the Lieutenant, Henry stopped him.

"Francis, just remember, however this turns out, Danny did his best."

"I know that, Pop."

XXXXX

When they arrived at the scene, the old, wood house was dark. Lt. Gormley had been instructed to arrive with lights and sirens off. There were only a few squad cars, and a small SWAT team. Frank found Danny in front of a black SUV, dressed in bullet-proof vest, dark NYPD jacket, and cap.

"What have we got, Danny?"

"We think they're in the basement. We're pretty sure it's just the two brothers, and Nicole. We hope to go in quietly, catch them sleeping."

"How sure are you that they're in there? How sure are you Nicole is in there?"

"Pretty sure, Dad, from what neighbors across the street told us earlier. And this. Recognize it?"

Danny reached over for something laying on the hood of the SUV. It was black; Frank hadn't noticed it.

"One of Nicole's heels she was wearing this morning."

Danny then pointed to the laptop sitting on the hood. "I'm wired, you can watch from here." Then he turned to the SWAT team leader. "Ready?"

"Danny," Frank said. "Be careful. I want both of you coming out of there alive."

"That's my plan, Dad."

One of the SWAT team members had managed to pry open and climb through a window, then unlocked the front door for Danny and the other two to enter. They quietly made their way through the house until they located the closed door leading to the basement. Standing on one side of the door with his gun drawn, Danny gave the signal to the SWAT team leader, who jerked the door open.

"NYPD!" Danny yelled as he and two of the SWAT members headed down the stairs as the basement lights flipped on.

The two brothers jumped up from cots where they were sleeping. When one reached for what appeared to be a weapon under the cot, the lead SWAT member shot him. The other brother managed to get to Nicole, who lay on the cold concrete floor near them, her hand and feet still bound. He jerked her up off the floor, then pulled a knife from his pants pocket.

"Come any closer, and I swear, I'll slit her throat!" he screamed, his voice trembling with fear as he held the knife at Nicole's throat, his other hand grasping the rope that bound her hands together behind her back.

His brother lay dead, his body sprawled on the cot where he had slept.

"You don't want to do that," Danny said, still holding his gun, pointing it at the man holding Nicole. The man was crouched low behind Nicole, his breath on her neck.

"You sure about that, Detective Reagan?"

"Just put the knife down, let her go."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Because, Ray...it is Ray, right? You don't want to end up like your brother Rick there. Just put the knife down, let Nicole go, we can all walk out of here alive. No reason for anyone else to die."

"Oh, she's going to die!" Ray yelled, pulling Nicole's roped hands tighter.

"Come on, Ray, she didn't do anything to you, she's just an innocent victim caught in the middle of this. This is between you and me. Let her go. You kill her and I will have no choice but to kill you. She dies, you die, Ray."

"You think I care! You think I give a shit! What do I have to live for? My mother's dead, now my brother is dead, my dad's going to rot in prison thanks to you and that bitch sister of yours! I have nothing left to live for! You go ahead and blow me away, but you still have to go back and tell Daddy how you stood and watched his wife die! You'll live with that forever, won't you super Detective Danny Reagan."

"Danny," Nicole said, fear in her eyes, but her voice steady, "he wants to die. I don't. Please, just do it!"

Outside, as he watched on the small screen, Frank repeated her words, "Come on, Danny, do it! Enough talk."

"Shut up, bitch!" Ray screamed, pulling Nicole closer and cutting her with the knife, drawing blood.

"Come on, Danny. What are you waiting for? Say it," Frank pleaded under his breath.

"Say it!" Nicole screamed with all the energy she had left in her, as blood ran down her neck.

"Alright, alright. Let's all calm down. Let's all take a deep breath. Nicole, look at me," Danny said, and then he made a very slight nod of his head. "Ray, everything is going to be okay. Just...please don't hurt my family."

And with those words, Nicole jerked her head back, hitting Ray hard in the face. When he jerked up and back in reaction to the sudden blow, Danny took the shot. Ray went down, the knife in his hand dropping to the floor. Nicole cried out.

Danny rushed to her, putting his gun in its holster. "Nicole! Are you okay?"

"Untie me! Get me away from him!"

"Calm down. It's okay. Everything's okay," Danny said, as he untied her hands, then pulled a handkerchief from his pants pocket, put it against her neck. "Hold this tight, while I untie your feet."

Nicole held the handkerchief with one hand, put the other to her mouth, in an effort to calm herself, to silence her own whimpers. "Where's Frank? Is he okay?"

"He's fine now, Nicole. He's just outside, waiting for you."

"I want to see him."

"I'm pretty sure he wants to see you, too. Can you walk?"

"I think so."

"Put your arm me. Let's get you out of here."

The SWAT members moved to the side to allow Danny and Nicole to pass. As they made their way up the basement stairs, Danny looked up.

"Actually, Nicole, Dad's right there."

Nicole looked up. Frank was standing at the top of the stairs looking down at them, his hands in his coat pockets.

When they reached him, Frank took her in his arms. "Are you okay, Nicole, did they hurt you?"

She reached up for his face with one hand, still holding the handkerchief on her neck with the other.

"No," she whispered. "They didn't hurt me."

"Thank God," Frank replied, his hands now cupping her face, his lips touching her forehead, his breathing heavy, but steady. "Thank God." He kissed her forehead, and then her lips, as she dropped the handkerchief, her arms slipping around his neck.

"I want to go home, Frank, please take me home."

Frank scooped her up in his arms, carried her through the house and outside, her arms tight around his neck, her head buried deep in his chest.

XXXXX

Four days later the entire Reagan family joined together at the dining room table for Sunday dinner, including Nicky, home for Christmas break.

Frank led Grace, ending it with "Thank you Lord, for all we are about to receive and all you have done. And most of all, thank you for all ten of us here today, in one piece, at this table. For that we are most truly grateful."

"Amen to that, Francis. Having both Nicole's at the table is a blessing."

"That it is, Pop," Frank said, squeezing Nicole's hand that he held in his own.

"Well, I'm glad to be home with my family for Christmas," Nicky said, "and I'm even more glad that Nicole is safe, thanks to Uncle Danny. What would we do without him? First he saves Mom, and now Nicole."

"Unlike Erin who suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder in her ordeal, I came out of mine with only a few cuts and bruises," Nicole said, touching the long bandage on her neck. "I agree, what would we do without Danny? Thank you, Danny."

"And he saved both of them the same way, I understand," Jamie said. "I just have one question, Danny. How did you know for sure that Dad had shared the family "please don't hurt my family, hit the ground" code with Nicole?"

"I didn't," Danny replied, "and I didn't see any way it was going to work if he had. No way was she going to be able to hit the ground with that knife at her throat. But she seemed to be telling me to do it, I just had to go on faith she knew what to do. Thank God she did."

"She was telling you, Danny, and I thought you were never going to take her lead," Frank said. "Certainly I'd share the family code with my new bride. It's the first thing I did on our honeymoon."

Frank turned to Nicole, still squeezing her hand, the first night of their honeymoon vivid in his mind. His smile was wide.

"Well, it wasn't the first thing."

 **A/N — Any regular Blue Bloods viewers NOT see that line coming in Nicole's rescue? Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read, and to review.**


End file.
